Gracie and the Tiger by Sophie

Every evening, soon after dark, the air raid sirens shrieked through the silent streets of London. Then came the dreadful humming of enemy aircrafts approaching through the moonlit sky. Deafening explosions filled the darkness of the streets and huge orange flames suddenly burst out of tall buildings.

Gracie Cloudwood crouched in the corner of the shelter, cuddling close to her Mum. She clutched her tiger that her Dad had given her before he went to the war. It reminded her to be brave. Dad was fighting in the war whilst Gracie and her Mum spent the nights in the cold shelter.

The next morning, when the sun rose, Gracie and her Mum climbed out of the shelter and discovered that their neighbours house had been destroyed by the bombs.  Scattered amongst the ash covered ground were all their belongings and wallpaper. The windows were just small bits of cracked glass. “I have to send you away” whispered Mum, trying not to cry.

Later that day, Gracie’s mum had packed her bags and her suitcase.  Gracie was taken to the station where she was surrounded by strange, pale faces.  Gracie clutched her stripy tiger knowing she should be brave but she didn’t know how to. “You to have go, you’re going to be safer there” reassured mum as a tear dripped down her cheek onto her coat. Soon, Gracie was sat alone in the comfy carriage.  She shouted to her Mum, “Don’t leave me, Mum”, but the train was already moving. Sadly, she glanced out of the window and waved until Mum turned into a tiny dot in the distance.

After an hour, Gracie arrived at a big, magnificent house owned by Lady De Pop. “Well, you look cold, come on in” she said as welcomed Gracie and Jane, another girl, into the house and showed them to their bedrooms. Gracie was left alone in a tiny, damp room.  She flopped down on the bed and hugged her tiger tightly before falling asleep, stroking it.

After a worrying night, the evacuees went to the village school. Every day after that the children teased Gracie for sucking her thumb. “Cry, Cry!” they shouted as her eyes filled with wet tears. She pressed herself against the wall and wished for the bell to ring to go home.

When they had got home, Gracie was asked by Jane “why do you have that tiger?” Jane snatched the tiger off Gracie. Gracie shouted at her “give it back!” Gracie burst into tears just as Jane teased “it’s all smelly and old.” She ran off with the tiger.

Later on in the evening, Gracie still didn’t have her tiger back.  ‘That’s it!’ Gracie thought.  She hurried upstairs to pack her suitcase. Gracie sneaked out of the back door into the cold, dark night. When she got to the field she broke into a run, until a comforting roar halted her in her tracks. Something was purring under a leafy bush, she quietly walked towards it. It was her tiger, but alive and real. It sat proudly licking his stripes, she fell down beside it and went to sleep.

The next morning, when Gracie woke up, she felt braver than ever. The tiger had gone, she felt she had to go back to the house and face the teasing. She started walking on the stone path back to the house.

When she arrived at the house, she saw her suitcase outside. Sitting on top of the suitcase was her tiger, she smiled at it, just as her Mum came out of the house. Gracie ran towards her and gave her a hug. “Hi, Gracie. I’ve come to pick you up. Your uncle says we can stay with him” mum told her as they walked to the station together.